Bring Out The Best In Me

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**2 years ago**

The party was insane. I hadn’t talked to Ash since yesterday, when I told him about Sarah cheating on him. I was hoping he would be here, at Sarah’s party.

I walked through the crowd of teens jumping up and down and a girl ran up to the swimming pool and puked in it. People who were in the water screamed of disgust and got out of the water fast.

Someone pushed the obviously drunk girl into the water and she barely managed to get out of the pool. She threw up again before her boyfriend grabbed her and took her away.

I grimaced and shook my head.

“Taylor, you bitch!” Sarah shrieked and I was pushed backwards. “What do you think you’re doing here?! You slut, you told Ash!”

“Yeah, I did!” I snapped and was kind of surprised that my voice sounded confident. I was not feeling confident. At all.

Sarah grabbed my arm and dragged me toward her house probably because people were starting to notice. She made it till her room and she opened the door and shoved me inside. She slammed the door behind her and when she turned to face me her eyes widened at something behind me.

I turned around and saw Ash sitting on the bed. He stood up and I reached for his hand, but he shook his head slightly and looked at Sarah instead.

I bit my lower lip.

Finally, Sarah broke the silence. “Ash, babe, I’m glad you made it-“

“Drop the act Sarah.” Ash’s voice was firm.

Sarah put her hand on her hip but she gave Ash an apologetic look. “What do you mean?”

“Taylor told me you were...you were here with another guy.” Ash nodded towards her bed. Sarah opened her mouth in an ‘O’ shape.

“What? No, I didn’t! She’s lying!” Sarah accused, pointing at me.

“what?!” I said a little loudly.

Ash sighed, frustrated and obviously embarrassed. I blushed a deep crimson and Sarah was crossing her arms.

“Why would you lie to me, Sarah?” Ash looked at her, his eyes full of hurt. I guess he really did like her...

Sarah sighed sadly. “I...Ash I was-I am- scared...”

“What?” Ash frowned. “Why?”

“because,” Sarah took a deep breath and touched her stomach. “Because I’m pregnant and I think it’s yours. I didn’t sleep with that guy, I was going to, yeah, but I didn’t. And it’s yours Ash...”

“Come again?” I whispered, shocked. Ash stiffened and he just stared. Stared at Sarah and then at her stomach, then back at her face again.

“Sarah are you sure?” Ash said, his voice hoarse.

Sarah nodded, smiling a little. She glared at me and I got the message.

Ash and Sarah forever...and now with their baby...I would be completely thrown out of the picture. I fought back the tears, because I knew that from now on it would be them and not me. Ash would barely have enough time to even look at me.

I was about to walk out of there but Ash walked over to the door and put his hand on the doorknob, shaking his head.

“I’m- Sarah I can’t deal with a baby. I’m a kid...I can’t...” Ash winced and sighed, then walked out. “I’m sorry.” He mumbled before he closed the door after him.

Did...did Ash just do a runner? How could he leave Sarah like that though? She cheated on him, ok, but...his own child?

Sarah sat on her bed and hugged herself.

I felt really sorry for her but...

I walked to the door and bit down on my lip, hard.

Should I go? I reached for the doorknob when Sarah’s shaky voice said;

“Please don’t leave me too, Taylor. I’m sorry!”

I looked behind my back at her and shot her an apologetic look. Just a second ago she was signalling for me to go.

I’ll just be used like a tissue again.

I opened the door.

“Fine, leave! Who needs you anyway! Freak.” Sarah’s voice broke at the end of the sentence and she started crying.

“Sorry, Sarah. But I’m not a tissue.”

I walked out of the room, not bothering to close the door. I just wanted to be out of there.

**Now**

“This one?” I asked, twirling around in the beautiful silk dress. Lauren look up from her iPhone and shook her head.

“Too...” she waved her hand in small circles, trying to find the right word. “It’s too much,” Lauren shrugged.

I sighed. “We’ve been here for more than an hour! I don’t know what to wear for this party, L!! Help?”

“Ok,” Lauren laughed and put her phone away. “Let’s go take a look in some other stores,” she got up off the sofa and I quickly changed back to my own clothes.

“So,” I said when I came out of the cubicle and we started walking outside to different shops. “What’s the plan?”

Lauren smirked, smug.

“Oh no.” I fake-panicked. “I know that look!” 

Lauren laughed and I joined in. She linked her arm through mine and started pulling me towards Forever 21. Memories with Sarah and Blair flooded my mind but we walked through the doors and into the shop. I was determined to find something cool to wear to Sam’s party.

Everybody was talking about it, and since I’m his...girlfriend...I was the first to be invited. I grinned now, remember Sam’s ‘invitation’.

Basically all he said was, “Want to come to a wild party tonight?”

Of course I said yes. A wild party is just about what I need right now. Sarah always glared at me or said some bitchy remark about stuff about me, but she wasn’t doing anything. Yet.

And with Ash...he wasn’t talking to me now. He and Sarah are kind of going out but a lot of girls are trying to get his attention. Not like it matters...

Not like I care.

Lauren grabbed a black jacket off the racks and held it up to me, grinning. “This would look great with some high heels, shorts and a semi-low cut top.”